No. 200.] 169 



Judge Meigs alluded to that portion of the address treating of the 

 rot in the potato. He had not before had much information on that 

 dreaded disease. Jt was as prevalent in Europe as here. In France, 

 particularly, its ravages had become absolutely alarming. The most 

 minute examination had there been made ; millions subsist mainly on 

 this vegetable root, and it was very doubtful whether the entire grain 

 of the earth could supply the want of it. 



Mr. Robinson, in speaking of that part of the address relating to 

 the weevil, said, that in consequence of this insect wheat could not be 

 raised south of Tennessee, as it was a southern insect ; but it was 

 fast travelling north. 



The president asked Mr. R. if, when speaking of the weevil, lie 

 meant the insect which had been working into the nf>rth from Canada ; 

 showing itself first in the form of a small fly, which makes its attacks 

 while the grain is yet in the milk, laying its egg, which in time hatches 

 into a small worm and commences its attack upon the wheat. 



Mr. Robinson replied that the insect he referred to did its injury in 

 the stack or granary. In the evening, myriads of small flies could be 

 seen surrounding the stacks. The injury is in the dry kernel ; the 

 heart is completely eaten out, leaving only a mass of animal matter. 

 The only means of cleaning was to place it in water, when the heavy 

 particles would sink. The bread from this is offensive at best, and to 

 him so nauseous, that nothing but actual hunger could compel him 

 to eat it. 



The injury by the weevil could be prevented in small crops by sun- 

 ning. This was done by exposing the grain thinly spread, to the rays 

 of the sun for some time, and when hottest remove it to the bin, mix- 

 ing one bushel of quick lime to one hundred of wlieat. But this was 

 too nmch trouble, and could not be tlone with extensive crops, and if 

 the wevil ever came as far north as Lake Miciiigan, they must give up, 

 they could not vvithstand its depredations. 



At the conclusion of Mr. Robinson's remarks, Mr. John Jones, a 

 farmer from Delaware, took the floor, and presented an interesting ac- 

 count of his operations in redeeming the exhausted lands of that State 

 and submitted a full report from the committee on crops, appointed by 

 the Agricultural Society, of which he was a member, at a meeting held 

 preparatory to appointing delegates to this convention. 



